SM Share Movement goes to Nasugbu, Batangas The SM Store spreads holiday cheer with new school building, toys

Tweet

Smiles as bright as Christmas lights, and laughter that invigorated like Christmas carols—these filled the grounds of the Looc Elementary School in Nasugbu, Batangas as The SM Store gave the students there an early Christmas present that is #SoMagical. Staying true to its commitment of bringing joy to communities where it is present, SM recently turned over its 100th school building donation, and The SM Store distributed toys to children. 

​

Students of Looc Elementary School celebrate after receiving their new toy from the SM Store’s Share a Toy program.

It was only October 16, but it felt like Christmas morning. The students and teachers of Looc Elementary School could not contain their excitement as they took part in a morning of fun and games, a day before the official unveiling of the two-story, four-classroom new school building. 

Christmas came early

Situated in front of the school’s sprawling grounds that offer the students an unobstructed view of nearby mountains is a covered court. On that day, employee volunteers from The SM Store Batangas, The SM Store Lipa and Savemore Nasugbu worked like Santa’s helpers to transform it into a festive spot, complete with balloons and party tables and chairs. 

SM employee volunteers happily welcome the kids to the Share A Toy activity. 

Christmas comes early for the students of LoocElementary School as an employee volunteer from The SM Store hands out gifts to them. 

Students from Kinder to Grade 2 eagerly lined up, thrilled to witness a lively program and party with their friends and their newfound ates and kuyas. They were treated to fun performances from a magician, clowns, a balloon-twisting artist and a bubble artist. They also had their faces painted with flowers, butterflies, and superheroes. At the end of the program, they were given cuddly plush toys from The SM Store’s Toy Department, clothes from its Children’s Wear section and grocery items from Savemore. Christmas came early for these kids. It was a new and unforgettable experience for the children of Looc, whose families are engaged in farming or are working at nearby resorts. 

Mikko, one of the students of Looc Elementary School, shared how he loved the gift and enjoyed the festivities, which was a rare treat in their school.

“Masaya po ako sa natanggap ko na regalo. Masaya at magandadin ang program kanina, nagpafacepaint pa nga po ako. Minsanlang po kasi may ganito dito sa amin. (I am happy with the gift that I received. I really enjoyed the program. I even had my face painted. It’s not often that we get to enjoy celebrations like this),” Mikko said. 

Dr. Luciana Tulagan, Principal of Looc Elementary, said that this event didn’t just bring joy to the kids but also taught them the value of sharing.

Employee volunteers of The SM Store prepare the plush toys for the gift-giving activity. 

The kids cheerfully cuddle their new plush toys. 

“Malaki pong kaligayahan ang naibigay ng SM dito sa mgamag-aaral ng Looc Elementary School. Dahil sa Share A Toy ngThe SM Store, maimumulat namin sa mga bata na dapat hindilang tuwing Pasko ang pagbibigayan, kungdi lagi. (The SM Store brought great happiness to the students of LoocElementary School. Because of Share a Toy, we can educate the children that sharing happens not only during Christmas, but there are everyday opportunities to do it.) 

#SoMagical Christmas

Christmas cheer fills the air as an employee volunteer of The SM Store and the children of Looc Elementary School smile for the camera after the Share a Toy activity. 

Truly, the spirit of Christmas is in sharing. This Holiday season, The SM Store continues to nurture just that through its Share A Toy campaign. 

“SM values creating a positive impact in the communities where we are present. We are really grateful that SM gave us the opportunity to be a part of this meaningful event and the chance to share the spirit of Christmas through the gift of toys with the kids of Looc Elementary School. This is a memorable experience that we’ll treasure,” said Shelamie Marasigan, Assistant Branch Manager of The SM Store Lipa.

The SM Store is encouraging its generous shoppers to give back and make a kid’s Christmas #SoMagical by donating a new or pre-loved toy at the Share A Toy booth in all The SM Store branches nationwide. For every toy donated, the shopper will get a P50 discount voucher. The campaign runs from November 15, 2019 until December 31, 2019, with toys to be donated to beneficiaries of the SM Foundation.

Magicians captivate the students of LoocElementary School with their bubble show and other tricks. 

These toy donations are a simple but meaningful gift for kids. More than just play items, toys are beneficial to a child’s development according to studies. Toys can help increase their learning retention, stimulate their creativity and imagination, enhance their senses, spur their emotional and social development, and help in developing their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Share A Toy is just one of the ways The SM Store inspires a culture of sharing and purposeful giving among its shoppers. Early this year, it conducted its Share Shoes program and Donate A Book campaign. Since its launch in 2015, The SM Share Movement has already collected more than 1.3 million items which include shoes, school supplies, clothes, toys, disaster kits and hygiene kits, which have been distributed across different parts of the country. 

For more updates about the Share Movement and ways you could donate, visit www.thesmstore.com and follow its social media pages @thesmstore on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

Small steps that go a long way The SM Store Share Shoes Program brings joy to kids in Isabela

Tweet

Shoes are essential in one’s journey through life, especially forstudents. With a pair of good shoes, they will not only be able to fulfill their daily tasks with ease, but it can also inspire them to work hard and take little steps to achieve their dream. 

Students of Diasan Elementary School in Echague, Isabela celebrate after receiving their new pair of shoes.

For most students in the city, a school bus or a stroll down the sidewalk are their usual commute. But for students in the province, it is a different story. 

Samantha, a student from the Diasan Elementary School, shared the hardships she and her classmates face to reach school. 

“Malayo po ang nilalakad namin ng nakapaa. Madulas po ‘pag umuulan at mahirap, maputik ang daan. ‘Yung mga iba po na nakatira sa may bundok, naglalakad po sila ng malayo. (My classmates and I have to walk a long way to get to our school. When the rainy season comes, the slopes become slippery and dangerous which makes it harder for us. The others who live near the mountain walk even farther),” Samantha said. 

Diasan Elementary School is tucked in the middle of the Barangay Diasan, a remote farming community in Isabela with over 600 residents. Students like Samantha have to walk an hour or more on rough terrain to get to and from school and are sometimes forced to skip classes if the river is swollen due to heavy rains.

Despite the challenges, one would be surprised at the great lengths they are willing to go to for their education. The simple gift of a new pair of shoes will allow them to walk to and back to school in comfort and safety. 

These are the kinds of stories that inspired the SM Store’s Share Shoes program to reach to the community to continue its mission of bringing joy - through the gift of shoes that can help make the journey of the students easier and more comfortable. 

Sharing the gift of new shoes

Most students in Diasan have not set foot in a mall before, let alone a shop selling shoes, so as a treat for the kids, employee volunteers from The SM Store, Savemore and SM Foundationtransformed one of the classrooms into a shoe store. They assisted the kids in choosing and fitting their very own shoes from the display of clogs, sneakers, sandals, flats and slip-ons donated by The SM Store MLC Shoes and Bags, and SM’s retail affiliates Crocs and Simply Shoes.

A volunteer washes the feet of one of the kids to teach him the value of proper hygiene. 

Replicating the shopping experience, an employee volunteer from The SM Store Cauayan assists a kid in fitting her new footwear. 

The employee and community volunteers also set up a “Feet Washing Corner” before the shoe fitting to impart the importance of taking care of one’s feet. The kids could not hide their joy as they selected and tried on their new footwear. 

Apart from receiving new shoes, the kids were treated to fun games and groceries from Savemore. The kids even gamely participated in a Zumba dance number led by The SM Store Cauayan employee volunteers. Wearing their new pairs of shoes, the kids enjoyed the activities knowing their feet were comfortable and secure. 

Taking steps to a brighter future

Samantha said that having a pair of shoes is important to protect their feet from injuries.

“Masaya po ako nu’ng nakita ko ‘yung mga kaibigan ko na suot na nila ‘yung sapatos kasi ‘di na sila mahihirapan maglakad ng isang oras papunta ng iskul (I was so happy to see my friends wearing their shoes because now, they won’t have a hard time walking an hour to school),” Samantha said. 

An employee volunteer from The SM Store Cauayan assists a kid in choosing his new pair of shoes. 

Teacher in charge Domenador Mayuyo Jr. shared that for some of the kids, it was their first time to own a pair of shoes, with many of them walking to school wearing slippers or barefoot. 

“It’s the first time for some of our students to receive a pair of shoes. Having a new pair of shoes is like a dream come true for them. It is a blessing for them to receive new pair of shoes that they can use to go to school,” Mayuyo said. 

Through the gift of new shoes, The SM Store hopes to inspire these kids to take those important steps toward achieving their goals. 

A student of Diasan Elementary School walkshome with his new pair of shoes from The SM Store’s Share Shoes Movement. 

Promoting the culture of sharing and purposeful giving

The shoe donation was also accompanied by a medical mission through the partnership of The SM Store with the SM Foundation, Caritas Philippines and the Diocesan Social Action Center of Ilagan. Residents of the community were able to avail of medical and dental consultations, laboratory works, and had X-ray and ECG examinations, and medicines courtesy of the SM Foundation’s Mobile Clinic, all for free.

An employee volunteer and student beneficiaries bond after the program. 

The activity was a part of the SM Share Movement, a program promoting a culture of sharing and purposeful giving among SM shoppers all year long. Since 2015, the SM Share Movement has collected over 1.3 million donations composed of shoes, clothing, books, school kits, disaster kits and toys.

The SM Store’s Share Shoes program encourages its shoppers to donate brand new and pre-loved footwear not just to help kidswalk safely and reach their desired destinations, but to also inspire them to take important steps toward achieving their goals. 

“We would like to thank all the shoppers and our partners who donated and participated in The SM Store’s Share Shoes Movement. This wouldn’t be possible without you. Given the rough terrain and the challenges that these students of Diasan face just to get to their school, the new pair of shoes is a great help to them,” said Cielito Velasquez, Assistant Branch Manager of The SM Store Cauayan. 

One of the classrooms is transformed by SM employee volunteers into a shoe store to give the kids a shopping experience. 

Through the #SMShareMovement Project, the SM Store remains committed to its promise to give back to communities and to be a partner in their development. Through the simple but valuable gift of shoes, they can continue to be a part of Barangay Diasan’s journey as the children take steps toward a brighter future. 

Find out more about the #SMShareMovement’s quarterly donation drives and ways to contribute to upcoming projects, by liking The SM Store Facebook page and by following @TheSMStore on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.